Twisted Nerve
by T.J Wardle
Summary: Post HBP. Hermione is being stalked. And it's all part of Voldemort's plan to get to Harry, but when Hermione is kidnapped it's up to Harry and Ron to get her back. Before it's too late! NEED HELP WITH A NEW STORY NAME ! Read and review with suggesstions!
1. No 14 Goosebury Way

**C - H - A - P - T - E – R**

**I**

A heavy mist was slowly spreading through the streets of east London. It was early evening but already the residents of this part of town had withdrawn to their homes, their chimneys coughing out thick, black smoke into the chilly air. It wasn't safe to stay outside after daylight hours these days. Crimes rate had mysteriously risen within the past two years. Top detectives at Scotland Yard spent hours studying the latest murder statistic print-outs, but remained baffled by the new rates of felony. This sudden surge of crime … it wasn't right.

A cloaked figure moved swiftly through the thick, unseasonable summer fog in Ursula St, bent low into the mist and looking back over its shoulder to make sure it's passage was not seen. Somewhere to the left a light turned on in a house, casting a dim yellow light onto the road. The figure paused and turned towards the source of the light, head raised as though smelling the air, before continuing on its way, its footprints clicking on the asphalt a little faster than before. The figure turned left into a small alley surrounded by houses. It was empty apart from five dustbins and a bag of aluminium soft drink cans. Litter riddled the cracked, cement and tumbled gently over and over, stirred by a cold breeze which reaked of rotten fish and roasting meat.

The figure seemed to be heading for a door to the left of the alley before it turned right and began to climb an iron fire escape on the side of the building taking extra care not to allow its feet to clang too loudly against the cold metal. Halfway up the black clad figure seemed to trip slightly and cursed in a low, gruff voice before hurrying up to a door on the second level. The door was heavy. Its dark blue paint was scratched and flaking and a heavy padlock denied access to any trespassers. A wand was held to the padlock and the figure muttered,

"_Alohamora._" in the same gruff voice as before.

A series of clicks followed the word and the door opened slightly. The cloaked figure pushed the door fully open and slipped inside the building, hastily pushing the door closed behind itself. The figure stood in a stairwell and made its way to a door on the wall opposite. This door was also locked.

"_Alohamora._"

The door creaked open to reveal an old, shabby apartment. The shagpile carpet was brown and stained and the white, floral wallpaper was peeling and covered in black scuffs and scratches. The room was sparsely furnished. A large old wooden table which was careworn as the six matching chairs which surrounded it stood by a window and a small, empty connecting kitchen. An antique black leather armchair stood proudly facing a fireplace on the left wall. The cloaked figure approached the chair but stopped suddenly as a hissing, otherworldly voice rang out through the room.

"Lucius…" The voice was cold and harsh and the cloaked figure knelt and shuddered at the sound before responding in a trembling voice,

"M – Master … I – I – I have escaped from Azkaban, master; I have returned to-"

"I know of your escape." The voice cut in. "Take off your cloak, Lucius; you should have nothing to hide from me." Lucius obeyed immediately, unclipping the silver serpent cloak fastening and tearing the garment from his body. The man who now stood in the middle of the room was tall and thin. His hair was silver blond and fell to his shoulder blades and his face was covered in thin stubble. He wore a dark green robe emblazoned with patterns of black skulls and snakes and a black belt with a silver snake buckle encircled his waist. His once shiny black shoes were dirty and worn.

Lucius' position was repentant, knelt on the floor head bowed in shame,

"Master, please forgive me. My actions have been-" but before Lucius could continue a thin wand poked out from behind the black leather armchair and the voice cried,

"_Crucio!_" Instantly Lucius fell sideways onto the carpet, his body writhing in pain. The expression on his face was scary; that of a man in so much pain he seemed to be experiencing the worst torture imaginable. His eyes rolled back into his head and his jaw was clenched on his tongue which hung out of his mouth, saliva dripping through the gap next to it. Lucius screamed a high pitched scream which retched his entire body. After several seconds the wand was withdrawn and Lucius lay still.

For a few seconds a deep silence hung in the air which was broken by a gasping, gagging sound from Lucius. He pulled himself off the ground slowly and regained his kneeling position, swaying slightly. He breathed heavily and swallowed blood. He brushed a lock of hair, which was stuck to his forehead by a cold sweat, behind his ear and opened his mouth to speak. A mouthful of vomit poured from between his thin, dry lips and he bent forward, breathing heavily for a few moments before attempting to speak again.

"Th – Thank you, my lord." He whispered, swallowing blood again, "You have been most magnanimous."

"Lucius," The voice rang out, "I have been considering your options."

Silence.

"I have a task for you…"

"A task, my lord?"

"Indeed. My death eaters have been working hard of late, Lucius; while you were safe in Azka-"

"My lord, I-"

"_Silence!_"

"Yes, my lord."

"You will have heard, I do not doubt, that my plan to kill Albus Dumbledore has been successful…"

There was a pause in which Lucius seemed to be considering whether he was allowed to speak,

"I have my lord. Snape I believe … performed the curse?"

"Indeed. Severus Snape has proved most loyal to me. His fidelity has proved to be unquestionable, but Snape is beside the point at present…I have been considering Albus Dumbledore and his philosophies of late and I have drawn a conclusion. I have learned something. Love is a powerful thing, Lucius."

Lucius was surprised. He raised his head to look at the chair and, his eyesbrows raised slightly.

"Yes, Lucius." The voice was quieter now, "This fact escaped me in the past but I will not overlook such a fact again. This fact is deeply rooted in the task I have assigned to you…The mudblood. The girl. Granger…She is a friend of Potter, yes?"

"Yes, master. A very close friend, master, but-"

"The task I have assigned to you is to take the Granger girl. To kidnap her. I Want you to hold her somewhere secret, but not unplottable and then I want you to wait…"

"To...to wait, master?"

"Indeed. I want you to wait for Potter." Lucius' expression became one of slight aw as this plan dawned on him.

Several miles away in the village of Windsor light from a single window cast looming shadows over the blossoming begonias at number 14 of the misty Gooseberry Way. The light in question belonged to a Miss Hermione Granger who lived next door at number 16. The light was a perfectly ordinary bedside lamp with a plum coloured shade and which sat on a small wooden bedside table.

The room in which the light resided was of a medium size. The walls were painted cream and over the polished wooden floorboards was a large purple rug with red patterns and swirls adding to its appeal. A purple painted wooden dresser with a large oval mirror stood against one wall by a bookshelf full from top to bottom with thick volumes. A desk and chair stood facing the window. The desk was covered with sheets of parchment, stacks of chunky leather-bound books, several newspapers with moving black and white photographs and a bottle of ink with a quill. Another small lamp sat by a particularly high stack of books on the desk.

A large single bed, which matched its bedside table, stood against the wall opposite the dresser and bookshelf. The bedspread was purple and red to match the rug on the floor and smelt of freshly laundered linen. A girl sat up in her bead leaning up against a pillow, which was propped up against the broad wooden bed head, her legs under a warm eiderdown.

The girl was indeed Hermione Granger, seventeen-year-old student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Her once bushy brown hair had grown longer and more tame and was now only a long ponytail of slightly matted, which reached the middle of her back. Her brown, bright eyes scanned a purple leaflet, which she had just pulled from inside the copy of the D_aily Prophet _resting on her lap.

The leaflet was entitled _"Reviewed Safety Guide for the Household Witch and Wizard"_ and contained several hints, tips and warnings for protecting ones household during the dark times since the return of Lord Voldemort. Suddenly a loud tap from the window broke the silence in the room. Hermione's head darted up and her eyes squinted as she peered outside into the gloom.

A small brown owl flapped about madly behind the windowpane and Hermione rushed to the window and opened it allowing the little owl the fly inside. It perched itself in the desk and Hermione sat down at on the chair in front of it and picked up the envelope the owl had dropped. The envelope was made of parchment and as Hermione turned it over in her delicate hands she noticed the brilliant patterns and symbols embossed around the edges. Taking care not to tear it Hermione opened the envelope and pulled out a matching folded sheet of parchment. The handwriting on the parchment was recognisable as her friend Ron's

_Dear Hermione,_

_I got this fancy new letter writing set off dad and I've been sending letters to everyone. Mum told me it was enough after I sent her a letter formally thanking her for folding my underwear._

She laughed before continuing to read,

_Harry has just arrived at our house and I wanted to know of you want to meet us at Diagon Alley on Friday to get our school supplies and then stay with us until we leave for Hogwarts. Just a suggestion. It was Harry's idea too. Well please send pig back with your response and I look forward to seeing you soon,_

From, 

_Love,_

_Ron_

Hermione smiled as she noticed that Ron had scribbled out the word "from". Perhaps he was finally developing feeling for her… _no!_ she thought, _He doesn't like you. Just forget it. He would have made a move by now if he really liked you._ But Hermione couldn't resist a broad grin as she dipped her quill into the bottle of ink and wrote a hurried reply. Hermione would be joining Harry and the Weasleys at Diagon Alley. She knew her parents would approve and she didn't want to wake them now as they slept. She attached the letter to Pigwidgeon's small talon and opened the window calling after the flying bird,

"Just take it back to Ron!" Hermione hopped back into bed, turned off her beside lamp and closed her eyes, allowing deep sleep to take over her body.

Hermione awoke quite suddenly. Her eyes sprang open and she shivered slightly under her quilt. She could feel eyes upon her; cold and staring. She sat up a little and scanned the room. The half moon cast eerie blue light over the furniture creating disported shadows and shapes in the darkness, but it was clear that nobody was in the room with her except her bowlegged ginger cat, Crookshanks who had slinked into her bedroom in the night and curled himself up on the end of her bed.

Her eyes crossed to the window and she gasped. A pair of luminous eyes was staring at her from the large oak tree by her window. The eyes reflected light from the moon and Hermione stared back at them, shivering. Were they actually eyes or just stars in the sky, gleaming through the branches? Hermione wasn't sure. She turned away and reached her wand from her bedside table before turning back to the tree. The eyes were still there. Greyish silver eyes. They ogled at her silently, sinisterly.

She glanced at her window itself before looking back at the tree. Just as she had expected. She had forgotten to close the window before going to bed and it was wide open, allowing a chilly breeze to enter the room. Without warning Hermione pointed her wand directly at the glinting eyes and cried,

"_Furnunculus!_"

The eyes disappeared. Hermione shuddered and hastily crossed the room and slammed the window shut, locking it as she did, before jumping back into her bed and pulling her quilt up to her chin. So there had been someone in the tree staring at her. Hermione couldn't bring herself to sleep after that and she spent the rest of the night thinking who could have been the one staring at her. Well whoever it was they were now covered in large, unpleasant boils anyway, she thought as the sun rose over the silhouette of Windsor Castle up on the hill and tried to shine brightly through the thick, black clouds gathering in the sky.

Hermione was summoned from her bed to the window a few minutes later as a large tawny owl tapped sharply on the windowpane bearing the last edition of the _Daily Prophet_. Hermione placed a bronze Knut in the little leather pouch on the owl's strong talon and watched it fly away into the sun for a minute or two before unfolding the newspaper and heading down to the kitchen in her slippers and dressing gown for breakfast; all the while pondering the events of last night and the mysterious prowler.


	2. Head Boy

Well I finally finished chapter two! I'm really sorry it took so long, but I've been working on getting the first chapter of another story out.

I've just uploaded the first chapter of the new Draco story so please read and review that story too! It's called "Black Son, Silver Son," and is about Draco's experiences after HBP when he is sent to Durmstrang Academy.

I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed so far. I really appreciate it a great deal so thanks a lot! Enjoy!

C - H - A - P - T - E – R

II

Friday morning brought with it a heavy downpour to London. Hermione climbed out of the car and kissed her parents goodbye for a second time through the car window. With a final wave she ran across the road, dodging the puddles and pulling her cloak tighter around her shoulders. She didn't have to worry about Muggles seeing her in her cloak as the street was empty, the residents of London preferring to stay indoors today.

The Leaky Cauldron was extremely busy. The large fire on the wall opposite the bar crackled merrily and the voices of dozens of Wizard folk bounced off the walls. Hermione approached the bar.

"What can I get ye Miss … Granger?" Tom, the innkeeper asked warmly.

"Yes. Hermione."

"Hermione Granger! Of course!"

"Just a bottle of butterbeer please, Tom." Hermione sat on a stool and withdrew a small leather pouch from her pocket while Tom fetched her butterbeer. Tom returned a moment later with a glass bottle in hand. Hermione handed him a few coins from her money pouch.

"Keep the change, Tom. You could do with a butterbeer yourself! You seem run off your feet!"

A few taps on the bricks later Hermione was standing under the archway between Diagon Ally and the Leaky Cauldron. She made her way along the cobblestone street hastily noticing with a grin that a few of the shops had raised the price of their _Ever-Dry_ fabric spray due to the rain. Fifteen minutes later Hermione was leaving Gringotts with leather bag of money and making her way to meet Harry and the Weasleys at Flourish and Blotts. The school term was to begin on Monday, so the bookshop was full of Hogwarts students. Hermione was about to join the students milling about the textbook section when a hand clapped onto her shoulder.

"Hello stranger!" Hermione spun around to see Harry grinning broadly at her. He pulled her into a warm hug which she returned wholeheartedly. She had missed her friends so much these holidays and she had been thinking of their safety non stop. She turned to see Ron who stook awkwardly by a pile of cookbooks.

"Hello Ron!" Hermione said, her eyes filling up with tears. Ron moved towards her but didn't quite know what to do.

"Oh, honestly!" Hermione cried, throwing her arms around him. "I've missed you two so much! I've been so worried about you now that … well now that circumstances have changed."

"What about me!" an indignant voice made itself known. It was Ginny. Her face changed from a frown to a cheerful smile. Moments later Mr and Mrs Weasley joined the group and many hugs were exchanged.

"I've missed you all so much!" Hermione was surprised at how emotional she felt, but then these were emotional times. Now that Dumbledore was dead it seemed as though a warm light had been extinguished. Everyone's glinting eyes lacked that sparkle they once had.

"And how's Bill? Is he any better?" Hermione asked Mrs Weasley.

"Oh yes, dear. He's coming along well." Mrs Weasley smiled at Hermione, though her eyes were sorrowful and her face paler than its usual rosy cheeked complexion. "He's been having regular trips to St. Mungos for skin treatment. He'll never be the same as he was before, but he will be almost back to normal in time. He and Fleur have scheduled their wedding for April. They want a spring-time affair."

"That sounds lovely!" Hermione replied affectionately.

"Come on!" Ron said all of a sudden, "Lets get our books and then we can stop by Fred and George's shop.

A few hours later Hermione, Ron, Harry and Ginny were seated around a table at Florean Fortescue's Ice cream parlour under a large umbrella. The rain continued to fall heavily and Hermione was surprised to see steam emitting from everyone's mouths as they exhaled. It was summer but the air was so cold.

"Could someone be so powerful that they affect the weather without even bothering to use enchantments?" Harry seemed to be reading her thoughts.

"I suppose so …" Hermione replied pensively, taking another lick of her inner warming ice cream – a new recipe of Florean's, "I suppose anything's possible now that V-Voldemort's back." Hermione noticed how miserable the mood was getting and decided to change the subject.

"So," She said cheerfully, "Fred and George are really successful now! They seem happy."

"Yeah they're doing really well," Ginny piped up, "Mum actually apologised for getting so angry at them for leaving school and starting the shop. They've been inducted into the Order now."

"Really? Well I suppose it's only a matter of time before we're inducted" said Harry.

"Nope." said Ron, "Mum wants us to concentrate on our N.E.W.Ts. She reckons we need to become more skilled at magic before we can join."

"I suppose she's right, really." Said Hermione approvingly, "I mean we can't be expected to hold valuable information and not know how to defend ourselves properly. We'd be sitting ducks. Plus there's the fact that Dumbledore isn't around to keep us safe. I think your mother just wants to keep us safe."

"But we're of age!" said Ron quickly, "And I'm strong enough to defend myself and even _you_ if I need to." Ron puffed his chest out and jokingly flexed his arms, "I am the champiooooon!" Ginny rolled her eyes and thumped Ron over the back of the head with her new History of Magic textbook.

"OWWWWW!" Ron cried and slumped back in his seat. Hermione and Harry's laughter seemed to be causing Ron's face to redden slightly and he remained silent for some time.

"Run!" Hermione sprinted after Harry across platform 10 and through the barrier into platform 9 ¾. She continued along the crowded platform full of parents waving goodbye to their children to the train, which was already beginning to move. Abandoning her trolley she lugged her trunk up the step and onto the train before turning back to face the platform,

"Crookshanks! _Crookshanks!_ Come here! Come on, quickly!" once she was joined by her bowlegged feline companion, Hermione followed Harry along the coach and subsequently to a compartment at the back of the train.

Ron, Ginny and Harry were already seated by the time Hermione took a seat by the window, facing the front of the train; she hated moving backwards, and clicked her fingers to summon Crookshanks to her lap. The cat, however was clearly more interested in Ron's owl, Pigwidgeon, in a small cage in the luggage rack than anything else.

"Don't you let him, Hermione. Pig's all I've got now." said Ron, eyeing the cat suspiciously.

"Oh for goodness sake, Ronald! He isn't going to hurt Pigwidgeon, but he's a _cat._ This is what cats _do_!" Hermione lifted Crookshanks onto her lap and began scratching his neck softly.

A few minutes of silence passed in which Hermione gazed at the countryside flying by, head bobbing to the rhythm of the locomotive as rain drops slapped the glass. Harry and Ron where playing a game of exploding snap, Ginny shooting them fierce looks over the top of her copy of "_Advanced Potion Making" – by Libatius Borage_ every time another explosion occurred. Hermione tore her gaze from the heavy downpour outside and scanned the cabin. She saw Ginny reading her textbook,

"Getting a head start on your potions work, Ginny?" Hermione asked, an approving tone in her voice.

"Oh no!" Ginny laughed, "Goodness no! … Well I suppose I am really, but it's only for Slughorn. He asked me to read up on my potions early. I think he wants to give me private lessons." She sighed, "It's tough being one of his favourites. People don't like it when he ignores their hand in the air and asks me to answer his questions. And he _always_ gives me extra work to '_challenge_' me."

Hermione sat back in her chair, a bit disappointed before she suddenly spoke again,

"Guess what!" she ordered her companions excitedly.

Silence.

"I said guess what!"

Silence.

"Fine, I'll tell you … I'm head girl!" The immediate response from her friends was a "so-what's-the-surprise" look before Ginny finally spoke.

"Congratulations, Hermione! I always knew you'd get it!"

"Yeah," said Ron, "It wouldn't take much guess work to figure that out."

Hermione didn't know whether to take that as a compliment or not so she simply smiled and returned a hug from Harry.

"Wait a minute…" Ron cut in, "Who's the head boy?"

It was at this moment that a loud rapping was heard from the other side of the compartment door. Ron rose from his seat and slid the door open when,

"Good day, classmates," Ernie McMillan, a pompous Hufflepuff, barged past Ron into the compartment, "Lovely day, isn't it?"

Everyone gazed at Ernie for a few seconds before turning to the rainstorm outside the train and then back to Ernie. A few moments of awkward silence followed this before Hermione decided to break it,

"Yes. Yes it is." It was then that she noticed the shiny badge on Ernie's chest emblazoned with the letters _HB._ "Oh, congratulations, Ernie!" Hermione hugged her fellow school leader elatedly.

"What do you want anyway?" Ron said rather aggressively nudging Ernie a little too hard to be accidental. Harry and Ginny exchanged a look.

"I've been sent here to fetch Hermione. We're to host a prefect meeting at the front of the train. She wont be back until the journey's almost over, I'm afraid. Weasley, you are to meet us, along with the other prefects, at the front of the train in fifteen minutes."

Ron shrank back to his seat at the authoritarian tone in Ernie's voice before seemingly coming to his senses and standing again.

"Why can't I come now?" He said aggressively. Hermione turned to her Gryffindor counterpart,

"Ronald, Ernie just said that he I have to set up first. I'll see you in fifteen minutes, OK?"

"I can help!"

"Afraid not, old chap! Only the heads are supposed to be there before the meeting begins. You know how old McGonagall is when it comes to rules." Ernie said to Ron matter-of-factly before turning to Hermione, "We'd better be going, Granger. Come on." Hermione made her way out of the compartment, glancing apologetically into the compartment before snapping the latch of the door shut.


End file.
